There are many advantages to using a smartphone, both for personal and work use. With upgraded technology nowadays, there’s an app for almost everything! Have you thought about apps that might benefit you as a real estate investor to download? With numerous options to choose from, here are a few categories every real estate professional should think about downloading.

Edit Your Photos

Capturing the work you’ve done on fix & flips is extremely important. Photos are one of the best ways to market your product. But what do you do if you took the photos on a day with overcast? Or if they’re close to perfect but not quite there yet? This is when photo editing comes into play. Of course, you never want to mislead potential clients and completely distort the photos. However, minor touch-ups here and there can transform your photo from good to great. Great apps to use include Snapseed, VSCO, and Adobe Lightroom just to name a few. With a photo editing tool, you’ll be able to control exposure, adjust sharpness, and crop to your liking in no time!

Keep Track of Your Expenses

Tracking expenses is extremely important to stay within budget. With numerous purchases of materials that can occur during a fix and flip, maintaining a log of everything you’ve bought will only help you in the long run. Doing multiple projects at once? Even more of a reason to keep track of the expenses each project requires. QuickBooks is an extremely popular app many real estate professionals use. It’s also worth taking a look at Freshbooks and Xero among others to choose which app works best for you.

Scan Your Documents

Lots of paperwork can be overwhelming to deal with, which is why having a digital copy and filing it into folders can be very helpful. What’s even more convenient is being able to scan a document using your phone! Notable document scanning apps include Adobe Scan, Scanbot, Genius Scan, and CamScanner. Forget the photocopier and just grab your phone!

There are many more apps out there that can benefit you as a real estate investor. Start with these categories and see what additional apps can best suit you!

Now more than ever our homes have become a top priority as the pandemic has shifted our day to day life in every aspect. Our homes have become office spaces, classrooms, workout studios, restaurants and more. And as COVID-19 has proven how folks are fully capable of working remotely, the work from home trend is expected to hold strong and consequently, will continue to shift home design trends for the remainder of 2020 and into the new year.

Well-designed living areas, outdoor areas, and designated spaces are at the top of everyone’s list as people are spending more time at home. With this in mind, here are three things remote workers are looking for in their rental properties.

Designated Spaces

As schools, offices, and gyms have all closed their doors, having spaces for these in our homes have become the top item on peoples wish-lists. The open floor plan of the past is no more, as renters are looking for designated, and flexible spaces within their homes. Extra bedrooms that double as a home office, finished basements for a home gym and space for the kids to hunker down and do their schoolwork. Specifically advertising these areas in your listing can help draw in more prospective tenants.

Additionally, outdoor living areas and backyards have become more sought after and something to still consider when looking for your next rental property even in the winter months. More renters are leaving their current homes for properties with more outdoor spaces.

Location

The lure of rental properties surrounded by bars, restaurants and shopping areas in larger cities is now being outweighed by homes in smaller cities with more space. According to the National Association of Realtors Research Group’s November Report, rents declined in the larger city of Dallas, while being up in Waco and Arlington, Texas. Additionally, rents declined in Los Angeles, while they rose in Bakersfield.  Smaller cities are seeing more surges as folks are flooding out of the crowded major cities.

Pet Friendly

Pet adoptions since March have surged as people are spending more time at home, and have taken the next step into pet ownership. Rental units and landlords who are more flexible about allowing cats and dogs will see more tenant applications than those who do not allow pets into their rental properties.  Plus, you can make more money by adding in a pet-rent fee or non-refundable security deposit upfront as well.

Overall, as flipping properties has decreased since March, rental units are being sought after by real estate investors. The National Association of Realtors Research Group’s November Report shows that the median apartment rent rose 12 percent in Q3 of 2020, and though some areas are showing signs of occupancy lose average rents have remained stable. When looking for your next rental property or renovating a current one, keep in mind how folks are spending more time at home and are looking for specific needs.

After the renovations of your fix and flip have been completed, capturing the moment is essential! Not only to hold all the hard work you’ve done in a tangible form, but also for marketing. Don’t have a professional camera? Not a problem! With the right steps, you can take amazing photos with just your phone. Additionally, marketing your rental is also key to making a profit. And it starts with the perfect photos to share with potential clients.

Lighting

Good lighting can make or break any photo. If there isn’t enough lighting, the rooms can appear gloomy and overall give off a bad appearance. The goal of these photos is to give prospective clients the feel that they can see themselves in the space. Therefore, warm and inviting light helps create the illusion as well as opens up the space. Capitalize on getting the most amount of light into the room by taking photos on bright sunny days, opening the blinds, and turning on all the interior lights. Natural light is your friend so be sure to take full advantage of it. Although when taking photos be careful of shadows that can be cast. Shadows often come into play but can be dependent on the angles you take the photo.

Angles

Take a variety of photos from different angles. You don’t have to use them all, but it gives you an abundance of photos to work with. Not only can different angles give a variety, but the quality of the photos can change when factoring in other variables such as shadows. Keep in mind taking photos from corners opens up the room and adds dimension compared to straight-on photos that can make the room appear smaller.

Outside

Of course, capturing the rooms inside is essential, but so is capturing the outside! Outdoor living space can be a major attraction to prospective clients. Again, lighting will be a major component of getting the perfect photo. Be sure no personal belongings are in the shot such as your car in the driveway. And don’t get too caught up in the season you shoot! Although spring or summer may seem like the best options for blossoming flowers, fall and winter can be just as beautiful! Taking an outdoor photo with a fresh blanket of snow on the property or the fall foliage surrounding your fix & flip can add the perfect charm to your array of photos.

Shooting your fix and flip should be fun! All of your hard will pay off in these photos, so you want to be sure to capture the beauty. With these tips in mind, you will be able to take beautiful photos on a budget.

Now that autumn has begun, so has the chilly weather! Those beautiful outdoor spaces you created shouldn’t only be reserved for the summertime. Make your outdoor spaces usable all year.

Stay Warm

If you haven’t already, you should certainly look into investing in a firepit! This is an easy way to stay warm during the colder months of the year while enjoying your outdoor patio. Choose from wood burning, propane, gel fueled, or natural gas fire pits to fit your needs. Firepits are a win-win situation because not only do they serve for warmth, they are perfect for roasting yummy treats like smores! In addition to a firepit, consider adding heat lamps to stay warm and cozy outside. A patio heat lamp is simple to assemble and can often be positioned to heat an individual directly, rather than just the surrounding area. With a wide variety of heating lamps to choose from, match the style to your already existing patio!

Privacy Screen

Think of getting a privacy screen to put up wherever you please. This helps transform your patio from summer to fall, as well as blocks the wind as the temperature drops. Such a quick and simple fix to change seasons! Outdoor screens can add a nice visual to your outdoor patio space and gives you more seclusion from others. Enjoy the peace and quiet of your outdoor space with a beautiful new privacy screen.

Let There Be Light

Just because the sun goes down sooner, doesn’t mean you have to sit in the dark! Add some more lights to your outdoor space to create a warm ambiance. Dive into your style of either twinkling lights, tiki torches, or glowing lanterns. Make sure your lights are weatherproof to avoid having to constantly change them out.

Add Some Aesthetics

Put down an all-weather rug (or a few) to fit the season and giving your feet something warm to walk on. Rugs made from polypropylene are great at withstanding whatever nature may throw at it during the season. Have a gazebo or pergola? Add in some curtains! Allow yourself to draw in the curtains when the temperature drops and that transformation of the summer to fall feel.

Just because summer’s gone doesn’t mean your patio has to close up. Use these tips to maintain enjoying the beautiful outdoor space you’ve created. And don’t forget, throw some more pillows and blankets out there to keep the space extra cozy!

Driving traffic to your website can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! With the right plan of action, you can create increased engagement with users, therefore opening the doors to more clients for your business.

These tips can help take your website and business to the next level.

Prioritize Usability

Of course, the glitz and glam of your website layout can be intriguing and exciting to the eye, but it does no good if the website is difficult to navigate. Having a well-structured website is vital to creating a positive user experience. In addition, having a responsive website is essential considering the broadening use of mobile devices. Whether users are utilizing your website on a laptop, cell phone, or tablet, easy navigation across all platforms is key.

Social Media

Now this seems like a given but is often overlooked. Social media has been and continues to be on the rise. This is one of the most popular marketing tools available and is mostly free! Promoting content from your website such as upcoming events and blog posts can then drive traffic to your website. Social media is a support to website trafficking, not a substitute. Use it effectively, and don’t forget to make your content shareable!

Engagement

Online engagement heavily relates to social media use. It’s simple, the more you engage, the more exposure you get. Increased exposure could lead to more traffic to your website! Get active in your online groups within your industry, and comment on posts here and there. Be sure your engagement is purposefully and sincere. Make your voice heard in the virtual world.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is an incredible way to stay in touch with clients. Useful information can be provided with just the click of the “send” button. This is another opportunity to provide useful links to your website on the content you choose to promote. Again, another chance to drive traffic to your website. Considering we all get bombarded with tons of emails daily, be sure to carefully choose an intriguing subject line in your email. Getting your audience members to actually open the email is an important first step!

Keep in mind driving traffic to your website won’t happen overnight. It can take months before you see substantial results, and that’s okay! Creating a plan and sticking to it can boost your rankings in search engines and in turn, better your business. Plus, with the help of Bridge Loan Network, we can provide you with a custom application link for your website to capture leads for potential clients.